


Sapphires

by Hildred



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: F/F, Lesbian Character, Marriage Proposal, POV Lesbian Character, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 06:11:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3164246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hildred/pseuds/Hildred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dovahkiin may be the hero of the age, Thane of holds, Guild Master of the Thieves Guild, and a mighty fine wood chopper, but there's one thing she can't accomplish: working up the nerve to swing her Amulet of Mara in the right direction. </p>
<p>Until she finds a special surprise in her tribute chest, anyway.</p>
<p>(This is a two-parter, with Part 2 to come eventually.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sapphires

She took out one of her satchels and spun it around with her hand. It was a habit of hers when she was nervous, and boy was she nervous right now.

“Don’t worry, lass, you’re going to do great.” Brynjolf clamped his hand on her shoulder and gave her a little shake. It was the most affection he had shown her thus far, and while she did not want to make him think it was not welcomed, she was a bit jumpy and didn’t really like anyone touching her right now. Besides, he was talking about something else entirely.

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“The what are you worried about? I mean, think about your predecessor. Not only did he try to drown you and me, but he was going to wipe out the entire guild. You really can’t do much worse than him.”

She rolled her eyes. “Gee, thanks. Let’s just get this over with.”

He lead her out of the training room and into the center of the Cistern. Everyone was there. The whole guild, if she was looking right. Sometimes it was hard considering how dark the whole damn place was. But she saw a million familiar faces, almost all of them men. When she was invited into this club a few months before, the first thing she noticed was how much of a sausage fest it was. Vex told her it was because most women couldn’t hack it. But she was naturally the jealous type, so nobody really listened to her.

Today, though, anyone within a 10 mile radius showed up. It wasn’t every day they would get to see the induction of a new guild master. There were the usuals who made their home in the Cistern, as well as the new recruits and new shopkeepers. But there were also some nobodies she had never seen before. Actually, she was pretty sure that guy over there one tried to stick her up in the middle of the road just outside Markarth. That was neither here nor there. That guy was about to shit his pants now as he saw her become the new guild master.

“It’s good to see so much life in this place.” From the shadows stepped Karliah, dressed in her Nightingale armor minus the hood. The Dovahkiin hadn’t seen her for a few weeks. The last time she saw her was in Dawnstar, where she presented her new friend with a chest full of goodies. She told the Dovahkiin she had looted at them from a nearby mansion. Half of the goodies were gold, while the others were gems. Amethysts, rubies, emeralds… and sapphires of course. She had told the Dragonborn to take whatever she wanted. _That day I walked away with a hand full of gems._ Some of them still rattled in her satchel.

Vex and Delvin Mallory were there in the center as well, joining Karliah and Brynjolf to make this official. “Any objections?” Brynjolf put his hands on his hips and dared anyone with one look to object. “Good. It’s done then. You’re the guild master. Now let’s get back to work.”

They dispersed, and that was the end of the celebrations.

“That’s it?” The Dovahkiin couldn’t help but look around in bemusement. When she was offered the position of Harbinger of the Companions, she was promised a proper ritual, celebration, and Divines knew what else. A feast, probably. That lot could tear their way through a bear in one hour.  “Oh, well…” Her nerves had not abated.

“Watch it, Imperial.” Vipir the Fleet laughed as he too clapped a hand on her shoulder. “I kid. Say the word, boss, and I’ll cut off my own sack.”

“Just burns you that an Imperial is now in charge, huh?” The Dovahkiin flexed her arms so he could see her darker skin even in that musty hellhole. “First order of business is kicking you into the pot.” To the great amusement of everyone around her, she shoved him into the water, the splash hitting no one but creating a ruckus all the same. Nord deserved it.

Once the fervor died down, she turned and went to her assigned bed. Well, she now got Mercer Frey’s old bed. Not that she wanted it. Torch the thing and let everyone dance on it first. Chuckling, she unlocked her chest and exchanged some items. This included pocketing her satchel… but not before taking out two very important gemstones.

“Congratulations… boss.”

The Dovahkiin stood up, a chill running down her spine. Not out of fear, but out of… she couldn’t put her tongue to it. Damn woman could Shout up a storm and use her Thu’um to knock dragons out of the sky and to blow a Draugr Deathlord to Oblivion, but she couldn’t say what her feelings were that day. _I’ve had a long day._ Guild Master of the Thieves Guild. If her mother were alive back in Cyrodiil, she would have been so proud.

“Sapphire.” She stood up and turned to the cold-faced woman. _I can’t tell if she’s happy by this or not._ Not even three months ago Sapphire was ready to tear Mercer’s throat out as she stood guard in the Cistern. No more mead at the Bee and the Barb for her. No more bullying young stable hands either. But now that Mercer was gone and the guild’s reputation restored in the five walled cities of Skyrim, the Dovahkiin didn’t doubt that Sapphire got her buzz back on every so often. She had yet to hear about any more extortions, however.

“Hopefully this means you’ll be around a little more.” Sapphire cracked a smile, but sarcasm still dripped from those lips. “All that running around you’ve been doing for us… might make a girl miss you.” She turned.

Vipir was just pulling himself out of the water while his companions hooted around him. Looking at the master pickpocket reminded the Dovahkiin of her intensions, and she reached into her pocket to find the two sapphires she pulled out of her satchel just a moment ago. “Wait. You forgot your share of the spoils.”

By this point in their relationship – if it could be called that – Sapphire knew to just hold her hand out and wait. Whether she smirked or she grimaced, the Dovahkiin passed the two sapphires to her.

“Thanks. I’ll get a good price for these.” That’s what Sapphire always said when someone slipped her some of her namesake. It had been a joke by the time the Dovahkiin stumbled into The Ragged Flagon six months ago, but it wasn’t a joke to her.

Sapphire was just as beautiful as the stones adorning her palm.

Sure, she would take them and sell them. She always did. That was part of the point, and the Dovahkiin didn’t mind. Every time she looted a house or cleaned out a cairn she thought of Sapphire whenever the blue stones passed through her fingers. It became a game finding them… just so she could bring them back to _her._

When this all began, the Dovahkiin barely recalled. Sometime between shaking Sapphire down over the stable boy or hearing her drunken confessions late in the night. _I’m the only one she’s told that to._ The terrible past that lead to this beautiful woman turning into a hardened shell to keep the predators at bay. At first it was off-putting. But as one got to know her, they realized that Sapphire was merely protecting herself. Her heart. Her _body._ The world had proven itself incapable of protecting it for her. It wanted to hurt her, to mutilate what spirit she had left. So whenever she spared the Dovahkiin a smirk, something fluttered in that woman’s stomach.

She realized that even after Sapphire was gone, she was still nervous.

That night she went to bed – in her old bed, not Mercer Frey’s, because it reeked – to the sounds of the Cistern and some of the boys laughing over at the makeshift bar. Most of the party went to The Ragged Flagon proper, but tonight everyone was in such a good mood over their success and riches that they got tipsy right there by the beds. Sapphire was one of them, although she was cautious with so many men around. She laughed with the best of them, and the Dovahkiin went to sleep that night thinking of how much she wanted to make her genuinely smile.

 

***

 

Somehow it was hard admitting that she was in love with Sapphire.

The Dovahkiin sat outside the Temple of Mara, breathing in the fresh air of Riften, now partially under her control – even if only Maven knew it. Across the town was Honeyside, and the Riften guards waved and saluted at their Thane. _Thane and Guild Master. How about that?_ Skyrim was a strange place.

Since purchasing an Amulet of Mara, the Dovahkiin had many propositions. All she had to do was chop some damn wood and she had men and women throwing themselves at her feet to marry her. _It’s because I’m the Dragonborn. A Thane._ Thane of a few places. Well, all of them by now.

But she didn’t want any of them. In truth, she only got the amulet to give her the option of being married. Marriage wasn’t something she ever thought she would pursue, being born a thief in the back alleys of the Imperial City. She grew up fatherless, and had a mother who pickpocketed to feed them both. It was after her death that the Dovahkiin finally gave up and headed north. Crossing that border into Skyrim was both the dumbest thing she ever did and the best. _So I almost lost my head. Big deal._

There were a few people around Skyrim that were prime marriage material, although some were more open about it than others. The Dovahkiin felt sorry for the men, since she was not interested in them. Especially poor Balimund the Riften blacksmith, who kept gazing at her every time she walked by to sell him her latest loot. She didn’t doubt that he would make a great and doting husband. But she didn’t want to do those other things with him.

Who was there? Ysolda in Whiterun never shut up about how much the Dovahkiin lit up her day whenever she was around. Erdi in Solitude practically begged the Dragonborn to take her somewhere, anywhere – instead they went to the Dovahkiin’s mansion and gave the housecarl a reason to go get a hard drink. _She totally watched._ Women in Skyrim were pervs to the extreme. Erdi proved that.

But neither of them were good marriage material. Ysolda was business-minded. Erdi was, well, a bit too simple for the Dovahkiin. Who else was there? _Oh, shit, Hroki._ There was a girl who gave out more than a few good times. Definitely good times! But marriage? Hoo boy. No. One doubted that she would even agree to such a confining thing.

When the Dovahkiin thought of who she wanted to always be waiting for her, keeping her home warm, and making the bed comfortable at night – well, there was only one woman she kept thinking of. A woman with a thousand trinkets in her pocket.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

The Dragonborn looked up. It was Karliah, dressed in a regular thieving outfit so she wouldn’t stick out in the Riften crowd. The door to the temple shut behind her. “I could say the same thing to you.”

“It’s freeing to be able to come here now. Gallus and I often talked of marriage. Coming here makes me feel, well…”

“It’s okay.” The Dovahkiin held up the amulet so it twinkled in the sunshine. “Tell me what I’m doing with this.”

Laughter. Karliah didn’t laugh often, but when she did, it sent a happy ripple through the surroundings. “I can’t tell you that.”

“Wanna get married?”

“Hm. No.”

“Oh, come on! The temple’s right here!”

“No thank you. You’re fun for a night, but my heart belongs to someone else.”

“So you do remember that?”

“I remember each of them.”

The amulet dipped back into the Dovahkiin’s lap. “You know, I’ve slain quite a few dragons, Thaned myself all over this province, and taken out how many bad guys, but nothing scares me more than saying I love somebody.”

“So you do love somebody then?”

“You don’t believe me?”

Karliah shrugged. “You seem more interested in having good times with women. Not so much making them honest.”

“It’s not like I can _impregnate_ them.”

“I’m sure there’s a Shout for that.”

“Shut up.” The Dovahkiin stood up. “Maybe I just want to find someone to love for once. Not just love on.”

“If you can build a reputation as the most eligible bachelorette in Skyrim, then I’m sure you can do anything.”

When the Dovahkiin moved, her satchel jingled with her. “Anything, but not get anyone.”

***

“Get that thing away from me!”

The Dovahkiin snatched back the Amulet of Mara from where she dangled it over Vex’s nose. Not exactly what the blond wanted to see when she woke up from her cat nap. “Ah, come on.”

“I mean it.” Vex sat up, her hair a mess as she scratched her side and kicked her legs over the side of her bed. “Those things give me the shivers. Take it away before you get my fist in your face. I don’t care if you are the ‘boss.’”

“You mean you’re not going to marry me?”

“Why would I marry you or anyone else?”

“Because I made you rich.”

To that, Vex could only snarl. “Get the hell out of here.”

There was nothing else going on in the Flagon. Well, aside from wheelings and dealings as more and more recruits showed up to fence their items and get to know the likes of Tonilia and Delvin Mallory. Vekel couldn’t keep up with the orders, giving his girlfriend Tonilia plenty of time to sneak off with Brynjolf when they thought no one was looking. _Got important things to do my ass._

The Dovahkiin went to the Cistern, where she hoped it would be quieter.

It was, aside from the sounds of training and running water. She sat in front of the statue to Nocturnal and rubbed her fingers along the amulet.

“So, Sapphire, can I do anything for you… or more to the point, to you?”

The Dovahkiin looked up. There went Vipir trying it again. Sapphire was walking away, but she turned around to say, “Ah, Vipir. The Fleet. The only many foolish enough to name himself after his bedroom prowess.”

“Dumb cow. Don’t know what you’re missing!”

“I know that you’ll turn up missing if you keep harassing me!”

She stalked off toward the safe, and Vipir scoffed before hoofing it in the other direction. As Guild Master, the Dovahkiin could probably put an end to that shit. But it would not go over well in a guild made up of people who preferred to take care of themselves. Still, she kept her eyes on Vipir, and gave him a coarse look to say that she did not approve of him being so rude.

_Poor Sapphire._ Couldn’t get through one day without a man threatening her. The Dovahkiin knew the feeling, but at this point only the stupidest bandit made a pass at her before finding out she was the Dragonborn. Then they usually made racist comments, because how dare an Imperial be the hero of Skyrim. Or something.

“Hmph. Look at you, wearing an Amulet of Mara.” Sapphire stood beside her now, arms crossed and amusement gracing that lovely Nordic visage. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

_Oh my Divines._ The Dovahkiin sat back, attempting to keep a composed demeanor. _She’s not gonna… is she?_ Of course not. Just as well. Someone may be crazy enough to accept. “What’s wrong with wanting a little forever in this world?”

“Nothing. Just that I’ve heard the rumors.”

“What _rumors?_ ”

“Really? You think I get all around the Rift and don’t hear about what you’re doing to those farm girls you stop by to see for a night? So tell me, which one’s the lucky one?”

“Haven’t decided yet. I’ve had some offers, you know.”

“ _Really._ The Dragonborn, Thane of all Nine Holds, leader of many, and chopper of wood has a few offers for marriage. Wow! You’re such a killer.”

The Dovahkiin struggled to not take the bait. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Sapphire gave her one lone, piercing look before stalking off. “Nah. See you around.”

The meditation in front of the statue to Nocturnal soon came to an end. The Dovahkiin had pressing guild matters to attend to anyway. Brynjolf had been showing her the books and how to balance them, as well as going over who was best to send off on the big heists and shills. Today was supposed to be her first day attempting it by herself.

A note waited for her on the Guild Master’s desk. Attached to it was a key.

_“Forgot to give this to you, lass. It’s the key to your chest of cuts. Spend it well.”_

Ah, just what she needed. More gold.

The Dovahkiin looped around the desk and knelt before the chest. _How much is in here?_ She hadn’t checked it since she was made Guild Master, let alone since Mercer went out the door. Everyone was supposed to give her a 20% cut of their heists. Thirty more went to the guild’s coffers, with an extra ten to anyone who gave them the job, such as Vex or Delvin. The rest they kept for themselves. Still, twenty percent of a big heist was nothing to sneeze at…

The chest was empty. Save for a small satchel and a note pinned around its top.

_“If you want your gold, you’re going to have to come take it from me.”_

From the satchel dropped every sapphire the Dovahkiin had ever given her friend in the Cistern.

They rained through her fingers and sang against the bottom of the chest. Mouth agape, the Dovahkiin slowly looked up, meeting Sapphire’s intense gaze from where she leaned against the shelf holding half of the guild’s most precious goods.

“Well?” she said, her composure struggling to remain. “You gonna come take it or not?”

As Guild Master, there was only one thing the Dovahkiin could do to punish this insolence. She stood, letting the chest lid slam shut, and approached Sapphire to give her the reproach she deserved.

It ended in the most powerful kiss she had ever bestowed upon another woman. In return she listened to more sapphires rain on the floor around them, the named woman suffocating the Dovahkiin in an embrace that said _Yes._


End file.
